Stepless shelf adjusting structure for rack

ABSTRACT

A stepless shelf structure for rack includes a main post having a longitudinal and forward opened and reduced slide way; a plurality of sliding members movably connected to the slide way for connecting to a shelf each. Each of the sliding members includes a rearward slide block having an expanded rear portion for slidably receiving in the forward reduced slide way. A locating recess is formed at a lower side of each slide block to receive a transverse locating body. An adjusting lever is forward extended from the locating body for controlling the locating body to press or not press against two lateral outer wall surfaces of the forward reduced opening of the slide way. When the locating body is controlled not to press against the outer wall surfaces of the slide way, the shelf connected to the slide member may be adjusted to a different height.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an adjusting structure for rack, and more particularly to an adjusting structure for rack that allows stepless adjustment of a shelf and ensures stable locating of the shelf when the same bears an increased load.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most conventional racks have shelves that are fixedly mounted on the racks and can not be adjusted in height. Therefore, a user could not adjust the shelves to different heights on the racks according to actual needs or depending on different shapes and volumes of articles to be laid on the shelves. Therefore, the conventional racks are not convenient for use and a lot of spaces thereof are wasted. There has been developed a stepless adjustable rack, which allows a user to adjust the shelves to different heights according to actual needs, so as to effectively utilize every space on the rack. The conventional stepless adjustable rack mainly includes at least one main post, a plurality of support brackets, and a plurality of shelves. The main post is provided on one side with a longitudinally extended dovetail groove, and the support brackets are slidably mounted to the dovetail groove. Each of the support brackets has an end formed into a cut edge. To adjust the height of the support bracket relative to the dovetail groove on the main post, first upward tilt the support bracket by a predetermined distance, such that the cut edge of the support bracket is slightly moved away from an inner wall surface of the dovetail groove and can be displaced. When the support bracket has been adjusted to the desired height, it is lightly tilted back to a horizontal position, and the cut edge thereof automatically presses against the inner wall surface of the dovetail groove again and locates the support bracket in place.

In the above described conventional stepless adjustable rack, while the automatic pressing of the cut edge of the support bracket against the inner wall surface of the dovetail groove allows stepless height adjustment of the support bracket, it does not allow the support bracket to bear a large load. This is because the cut edge of the overloaded support bracket tends to separate from the inner wall surface of the dovetail groove.

As a result, things positioned on the shelf supported on the support bracket are subject to the risk of falling and becoming damaged, and the conventional stepless adjustable rack is not practical for use.

It is therefore tried by the inventor to develop a stepless shelf adjusting structure for rack to overcome the drawbacks in the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a stepless shelf adjusting structure for rack, so that any shelf of a rack may be freely adjusted to any desired height on a main post.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stepless shelf adjusting structure for rack, which allows a shelf connected to the rack via the adjusting structure to bear an increased load without becoming unstable.

To achieve the above and other objects, the stepless shelf adjusting structure for rack according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a main post having a longitudinally extended and forward opened and reduced slide way; and a plurality of sliding members movably connected at a rear end to the slide way and firmly connected at a front end to a shelf each. Each of the sliding members includes a rearward extended slide block having an expanded rear portion for slidably receiving in the forward reduced slide way. A locating recess is formed at a lower side of each slide block to receive a transverse locating body of a locating element. An adjusting lever of the locating element is forward extended from the locating body for controlling the locating body to press or not press against two lateral outer wall surfaces of the forward reduced opening of the slide way. When the locating body is controlled not to press against the outer wall surfaces of the slide way, the sliding member and accordingly, the shelf connected to that sliding member may be displaced and adjusted to a different height. And, when the locating body is controlled to press against the outer wall surfaces of the slide way, the shelf connected to the main post via the sliding member may be firmly located on the main post to bear an increased load without becoming unstable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a sliding member included in a stepless shelf adjusting structure for rack according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an assembled view of FIG. 1 with a locating element on the sliding member in a release position;

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 with the locating element on the sliding member in a lock position;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the stepless shelf adjusting structure for rack according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an assembled sectioned side view of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 shows an example of a finished rack with shelves adjustably mounted to a main post via the stepless shelf adjusting structure of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIG. 4 that is an exploded perspective view of a stepless shelf adjusting structure for rack according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the present invention includes a main post 4 provided on one side with a longitudinally extended and forward opened and reduced slide way 41; a plurality of sliding members 10 movably connected at a rear end to the slide way 41 of the main post 4, and firmly connected at a front end to a shelf 2 each; and a plurality of locating elements 13.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show one sliding member 10 of the present invention. As shown, the sliding member 10 includes a rearward extended slide block 11, which has an expanded rear portion for receiving in the forward reduced slide way 41 of the main post 4, such that the sliding member 10 is slidably held to the slide way 41, and a locating recess 111 formed at a lower side thereof; and a forward opened lying U-shaped connecting bracket 12 located in front of the slide block 11 and provided at predetermined positions with a plurality of mounting holes 121. The shelf 2 is connected to and supported on the lying U-shaped connecting bracket 12 by extending a plurality of fastening elements 3 through the mounting holes 121 and the shelf 2. The fastening elements 3 may be screws.

Each of the locating elements 13 includes a transverse locating body 132 received in the locating recess 111 with two lateral ends projected from two sides of the locating recess 111, and an adjusting lever 131 perpendicular to and forward extended from the locating body 132 to be easily accessible from a lower side of the connecting bracket 12.

Please refer to FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 at the same time. When it is desired to adjust one of the shelves 2 to a different height relative to the main post 4, first lift the adjusting lever 131 of the locating element 13 below that shelf 2 to be adjusted, so that the transverse locating body 132 is shifted to a release position, and the two lateral ends thereof projected from the locating recess 111 are not pressed against outer wall surfaces 42 of the slide way 41 on the main post 4, allowing the slide block 11 to loosely contact with the slide way 41. At this point, the shelf 2 can be moved to a desired height on the main post 4. Thereafter, pull the adjusting lever 131 downward, so that the locating body 132 is shifted to a lock position, and the two projected lateral ends thereof are pressed against the outer wall surfaces 42 of the slide way 41 again. At this point, the whole sliding member 10 is automatically slightly moved outward to separate from an inner end of slide way 41 with the expanded rear portion of the slide block 11 firmly abutted against inner wall surfaces of the reduced opening of the slide way 41, bringing the sliding member 10 and the shelf 2 connected thereto to locate and stop at the adjusted height.

Since the slide block 11 is in tight contact with the inner wall surfaces at the reduced opening of the slide way 41, a very high frictional force exists between the slide block 11 and the slide way 41 to allow the shelf 2 to bear an increased load without becoming unstable on the main post 4. Moreover, a user needs only to turn the adjusting lever 131 upward and downward to easily and freely adjust the corresponding shelf 2 to any desired height on the main post 4. As can be seen from FIG. 5 that is a sectioned side view showing the stepless shelf adjusting structure for rack according to the present invention, the locating body 132 has a cross section with a larger width and a smaller height. With this special profile, the locating body 132 may be turned counterclockwise to move away from the outer wall surfaces 42 of the slide way 41 by lifting the adjusting lever 131; and be turned clockwise to move toward and tightly press against the outer wall surfaces 42 of the slide way 41 by downward turning the adjusting lever 131 again. In an embodiment of the present invention, the locating body 132 has a substantially elliptical cross section. 

1. A stepless shelf adjusting structure for rack, comprising: a main post being provided on one side with a longitudinally extended and forward opened and reduced slide way; a plurality of sliding members movably connected at a rear end to the slide way of the main post and firmly connected at a front end to a shelf each; each of the sliding members including a rearward extended slide block, which has an expanded rear portion for receiving in the forward reduced slide way of the main post, such that the sliding member is slidably held to the slide way, and a locating recess formed at a lower side thereof; and a plurality of locating element, each of which has a transverse locating body received in the locating recess of the slide block with two lateral ends projected from two sides of the locating recess, and an adjusting lever perpendicular to and forward extended from the locating body; and the locating body being adjustable via the adjusting lever to a lock position, in which the two projected lateral ends of the locating body are pressed against two lateral outer wall surfaces of the forward reduced opening of the slide way, and a release position, in which the two projected lateral ends of the locating body are not pressed against the two lateral outer wall surfaces of the forward reduced opening of the slide way.
 2. The stepless shelf adjusting structure for rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the sliding member further includes a forward extended connecting bracket, on which a plurality of mounting holes are provided; and the shelf being connected to the connecting bracket by extending a plurality of fastening elements through the mounting holes into the shelf.
 3. The stepless shelf adjusting structure for rack as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fastening elements are screws.
 4. The stepless shelf adjusting structure for rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locating body has a cross section with a larger width and a smaller height.
 5. The stepless shelf adjusting structure for rack as claimed in claim 4, wherein the locating body has an elliptical cross section. 